“I Can't Hide”: Dwayne Johnson Disappears Into Pain in The Smashing Machine Trailer
Nothing prepared me for this version of Dwayne Johnson. Not the musclebound hero of Fast Five, not the dad-joke machine of Jumanji—and definitely not the swaggering demigod from Moana. In the first trailer for The Smashing Machine, Johnson doesn't play a fighter. He is one—bloody, broken, and spiritually bruised.
Directed by Benny Safdie (sans brother Josh for the first time), A24's bruising new biopic peels back the glamour of MMA fame to show the rot beneath. And the trailer? It's a gut punch—unflinching in its portrayal of addiction, codependence, and the toxic high of chasing victory.
This Isn't “The Rock”—It's Mark Kerr
Set in 2000, the film follows UFC icon Mark Kerr, dubbed “The Smashing Machine” for a reason. In the trailer, Johnson's Kerr says, “Winning is the best feeling there is… there's no other high like it in the world.” But here's the thing—Safdie doesn't let that high last. The moment we see Kerr's glazed eyes, trembling hands, and his girlfriend (played by Emily Blunt) trying to hold him together, it's clear: this isn't a sports movie. It's a survival story.
It's also a calculated gamble for Johnson, who's spent decades perfecting a marketable image of bulletproof charisma. But this? This is messy. And it works. Safdie told GQ that Johnson's performance is “career best.” From the trailer alone, you believe it.
A24 Is Betting on Pain—Again
The Smashing Machine continues A24's streak of emotionally raw, physically brutal storytelling. Think The Whale meets Uncut Gems—but in a UFC octagon. It shares DNA with 2018's The Wrestler, another tale of a combat-scarred man chasing one more moment in the spotlight before he burns out entirely.
But where The Wrestler leaned into quiet despair, Smashing Machine thrashes. Visually, it's gritty—shot with handheld intensity, blood glistening on bare skin, locker rooms soaked in testosterone and self-doubt. There's no glamorizing. Just the truth: this world chews men up and sells the wreckage as pay-per-view spectacle.
And like Kerr's original 2002 HBO documentary (of the same name), the trailer shows that the fight outside the cage—against pills, expectations, loneliness—is the one most fighters lose.
This Isn't Just a Movie—It's a Pivot
The trailer also signals a seismic shift in Johnson's career. He told Variety he wants “more humanity.” Translation: less franchise fluff, more emotional meat. It's not that he's abandoning blockbusters (he's still working with Scorsese next), but The Smashing Machine marks a moment. The guy who once played a walking eyebrow is now ready to be vulnerable. Real. Maybe even unlikable.
And let's be honest: Hollywood loves a comeback narrative. Especially one that bleeds.
Would You Risk It All Just to Feel Alive?
The Smashing Machine hits theaters October 3. The trailer doesn't promise victory. It promises truth. Which, ironically, might be Johnson's most heroic role yet.
